World Upon Your Shoulders
by redunicorns01
Summary: They both feel like their clocks are ticking. He can feel it. She's thinking it. Their lives aren't supposed to be this way. Maybe that's why they're meant to be. LP oneshot


_**[I own nothing]**_

I'm going to be honest. The inspiration for this came from seeing that big clock behind Dan all the time and then I heard a Beatles lyric and...this happened. Oh and it's SUPER long so I hope you enjoy.

And by the way, this story is dedicated to my aunt, who got me a very cool early Christmas present. It's not a screenplay or a kindle but it's close enough...sort of :]

* * *

_Tick…Tick…Tick…_

So this is how he dies. Really God? This is it? A fatal heart condition and no new heart for him in sight. This condition has ruined what's left of his life. It destroyed his basketball career, women don't want to take care of a dying boy, and he just can't find the inspiration for a second book.

He feels his clock ticking. He knows its coming. He imagines a clock strapped to his heart like a bomb and the ticking is just a loud, annoying ringing in his ear. He can't escape it. Everywhere he goes he hears it, just reminding him that he's not lucky enough to live.

_Tick…Tick…Tick…_

He's waiting for his heart to explode.

The doctors said that he had a good six months to live and that it shouldn't be a problem to find a good heart to fit.

That was over a year ago.

He doesn't like how they say _a_ _good six months_. They think the last months of his life are going to be good. And what's that about a good heart? There are plenty of people with perfectly good hearts dying everyday. He knows that sounds horrible, but he's gotten to that point.

He's given up hope on the things he used to believe in. Love, art, dreams…life. His life. He could have put gun to mouth months ago. And he's thought about it. The only reason why he hasn't is because he doesn't want his best friend and his brother have to explain to their son exactly how Uncle Lucas died and why. He couldn't even bare the thought.

So he stayed put on this world he's started to hate. He put on a happy face around his friends and family while pushing the thoughts of offing himself to the back of his mind. He hid his pain from them so they wouldn't ask questions. They knew his situation, there's no way you could miss it, but he didn't want them to look at him like they knew. He didn't want them to know about his pain.

Because he's in so much pain. His bones feel like they're breaking. Getting out of bed takes twenty minutes longer than it did just a few months ago. He takes his time to stand and sit down. He hates that he can't hold his nephew for as long as he wants. He knows Jamie understands why. Uncle Lucas isn't feeling well and the doctors are trying to help him.

He hates doctors. He knows they're trying, but it's been over a year and they still can't find him a heart. Sometimes he thinks they're not even looking. Or that they found his heart, but decided to let it sit there and rot without telling him.

What's worst is that he's starting to believe it.

_Tick…Tick…Tick…_

"Damnit." He curses. He really hates that ticking in the back of his mind. It keeps getting louder. Like the louder it gets the closer he is. He wonders what it will sound like right before he goes. He thinks he's crazy, but the doctors tell him otherwise. He doesn't know why he even trusts them anymore. To him, they have his heart and are probably playing hot potato with it.

He looks down to his empty glass of scotch and wonders when exactly he drank it. It was his last bottle. Apparently Haley didn't like cleaning up after him so she cleaned the place out. It's not like it was harming him. He only did it at night where he does his most thinking. His mouth begs for more, but there's not anymore. He's not stupid, he's not going to drive, though if he dies it's not like it'd be any worse than what has to come.

But even in his drunken stupor, he decides bed might be the best place for him.

He sheds off his shirt as he's walking over to the bed and his own appearance catches him in the mirror. He's paler and the muscle tone he used to have is definitely not there anymore. He's twenty-five and can see grey hairs from all the stress. He wonders if he'll ever get back to normal.

The sheets are pulled up to around his waist, the blinds are closed for when he sleeps in tomorrow morning, and everything in the house is peacefully quiet. Just the way he likes it.

_Tick…Tick…Tick…_

"God Damnit!" He screams loud enough for the whole neighborhood to hear.

This was going to be a long night.

**

She wonders exactly when her life went to hell.

It's really nothing to complain about. She owns a small, and somewhat successful, record label. It's nothing big, but it pays the bills. Her apartment is her own style, her sanctuary. She's young, she's hot, and she's independent.

But she feels so empty.

She's young, but has accomplished so much that she feels old. She's hot, but can't find that right guy. She's independent, meaning she's lonely.

Her apartment is quiet when she gets home late that night. It feels so normal…and that's a problem with her. All her life she feels like she's been alone. When her mom dies, when her father leaves for work, when she moved out to L.A. and then back to Durham. She has friends and she's had boyfriends. But boyfriends leave and friends grow up and she's left with herself.

It's late and she doesn't feel like cooking so she orders from that Chinese restaurant down the street from her. Two egg rolls and a pint of fried rice later and she finds herself in front of the TV with a _Friends_ rerun on mute and a stack of papers in front of her. She should have done them at work, but her heart wasn't in it.

She literally has her dream sitting right in front of her and she can't seem to find the motivation to continue it. Her bands are doing well. They're doing what she dreamed they'd be doing. And she found them.

She wonders where that seventeen year old version of her is. The one that was filled with love and passion for music because she's not that girl anymore. Her dream has become a career. It's not what she thought it would be like, but she learned to love it, then she started to hate it. She learned the way of this company and forgot about what she really wanted to do with the music industry.

What was it again?

Oh yeah, save the world.

Lately, saving the world doesn't seem as important as paying her bills. Her passion for music is gone and she can't locate it. But she hasn't given up yet. She hasn't because music never gave up on her. During times when her day seemed dark and depressing, when her and her best friend went on road trips, when she needed that certain song to play at that specific moment. The perfect song has always been there for her. It's always been there. She couldn't give up on the one thing that's always been there because of a few hopeless days.

But it hasn't been a few. It's been a year.

And she's waiting for that moment to come when it's all gone. When her company is in the hole, when she can't pay her bills, and when she's lost hope in everything. Where will the perfect song be then? She doesn't think there is one and she might be right.

She thinks about it at night before bed. Exactly how much longer can she keep this up?

Her friends tell her to chill out and have some fun, but she doesn't know what fun is anymore. Her work has taken over and the search for that motivation is always keeping her alert. To the outside world, her life seems perfect. She doesn't divulge in her life or go into deep, dark secrets because she's sure nobody cares.

Her life isn't perfect.

She just can't find a reason why it's not.

**

Sometimes he looks back. He'll find photos of himself in high school and he'll see big things with tiny memories in them. It amazes him how invincible he used to feel, how strong he was, and all the things he thought he could do. He remembers being eighteen and winning the state championship with his brother and best friend by his side. Being sixteen and flying down the street in the car his uncle let him borrow for the day. Being four, five, six years old and climbing trees without the thought of breaking his neck in mind. He used to feel so alive.

But it's gone now. They're faded memories that are to never to live again.

Every once in awhile he'll do this to himself. He'll get out boxes from high school on a random day and think back to all the times he was actually happy. He still doesn't know why he does it. He thinks maybe it's to feel alive again or that he wants to be a teenager again so bad.

"Hey." Nathan walks up behind him. He hands his brother a drink and Lucas takes it without a word before turning his gaze back to the picture.

It's of him and Nathan before one of their games. They were warming up when Haley caught them off guard with a bright flash. A high school Nathan looking directly into the camera, clearly not ready for his picture to be taken, while Lucas is setting himself up for the perfect shot, smiling as if he knew it was coming. He'd always loved that picture. He had one of his own back at the house. It was so real and in some way it explained everything about them.

"It seems like a lifetime ago." Nathan says still pondering the picture.

"It was." And Lucas walks away. It _was_ his lifetime ago. It's been so long since he held a basketball and smiled that way. He only smiled like that when there was a basketball in his hands and shooting the most perfect shot you'd ever see. It's been months.

"Luke!" Nathan called out chasing after his brother. These little mood swings were understandable, but there was only so much you could take. Nate reached out for his brother's wrist and shot him around. "Don't!" He warned. "Not today. Not when everyone is here having a good time." He motioned to all of his friends outside. "Not in front of Jamie."

"How do you want me to act Nate?" Lucas yells out. He sees the startled expression on his brother's face and lets out a breath to calm himself down for risk of Jamie hearing. "I'm dying, Nate. How am I supposed to act?"

"Don't talk like that man? The doctors…"

"The doctors aren't gonna do shit." He spits out.

Nathan steps up to him and hugs his brother. Lucas thinks it's out of pity. "You got to have faith man."

Lucas pushes away from him, angrier now than earlier. "I gave up faith six months ago."

**

"No I'm not going out tonight…I have work to do…I know I work too much…I can't…alright Brooke…bye."

She couldn't help but smile when her friend hung up the phone.

Brooke Davis. There are a lot of things you can say about her. She's been by Peyton's side since they were kids on the playground. She taught Peyton about makeup and clothes, much to Peyton's dismay. A few years ago she took over the fashion world and rocked it to its core. She moved up to New York shortly after high school and partnered up with her hated mother (for a reason Peyton will never know) and within a year she had made a name for herself. Her clothes appeared everywhere, bringing in money she could ever dream to own. She helped Peyton with her own label and believed in her in everyway possible.

With Brooke in New York and Peyton in L.A. it was harder than they thought to stay in touch and their busy lifestyles didn't help either, but Peyton moved to North Carolina and things got a little bit easier. Somehow, through it all, Brooke still found a way to meddle into Peyton's life, even if she was hours and hours away. And it still amazed Peyton how she could do it.

It's been over ten years of friendship. They've survived car crashes, dead moms, absent parents, long distance and each other, and through it all they always found a way back to the other.

But this was one thing she didn't want Brooke's help with.

She stuck her phone back into her bag before the breath she forgot she was holding was let loose. It gets harder every time she comes to see him. She'd never thought it'd get easier. She should have never thought about this in the first place.

She takes a deep breath and prepares herself for the worst, for him. Somewhere deep down he knows she hates this and if it were up to him he wouldn't be putting her through this. But she does it anyway because she loves him.

The doorknob is cold like it always is and it doesn't help comfort the knot in her stomach. But sometime in the past few minutes she's found the courage to push the door open and go in. She sees him across the room and her steps are slow and steady when walking towards him. She doesn't want the same event as last time. The one where he yelled and yelled at her to leave and never come back.

She takes the seat next to him and it hurts even worst when a smile doesn't even appear on his face.

"Hi daddy." She says with all the happiness she could find in her.

He doesn't even look up, just grumbles to let her know that he's listening to whatever she has to say this week. But really she can only get past _hi daddy_. She doesn't plan out these little conversations. She just hopes that she'll show up and he'll start one. But that's been a pipedream for awhile now.

So they sit there in an awkward silence as she tries, with everything in her, to find something, anything, to say. But nothing comes. She sees all the other patients around her and all the sad faces. She sees very few smiles and it breaks her heart because this was the only option she had to put her father in.

He's not meant for this place, and she hates to say that he doesn't belong her, but he does. His actions led him here. She didn't ask for this. She didn't ask for any of this. She loves her father, but hates him for putting her through this.

And she feels horrible for counting down the days until he does it again. This time for real.

"Peyton…" He looks up to her for the first time since he got in. His voice is raspy and unused. She meets his eyes and has to stop herself from crying when she sees the emptiness they hold. It's sad and there's nothing she feels that she can do to fix it. He's shaking his head, disappointment in some way. "Just go home."

She's shaking her head trying to find something to defend herself with. "Dad…"

"I'm serious Peyton. I don't want you here. I don't want you to see me like this."

"No dad, I love you and I want to help you."

"You can't help me sweetie." He gave her a sad smile before placing his hand upon her cheek. "You can't help me. This is my fault. I don't want you to live your life around me. You've already given up so much for me."

"Because I love you dad and no matter what, I'm gonna keep coming back." She says with all seriousness. "You need help dad and you need me…" She leans in closer, one arm on the table and the other fiddling the hem of her shirt.

"But you don't need me." He says quietly. "You think you do but you don't."

"I'm coming back dad. And I'm gonna keep coming back whether you like it or not." She stood from her place on her side of the table and collected her stuff. She was angry, but nether the less she still kissed him good-bye like she always did.

And then she left.

**

"Uncle Lucas?" Jamie looks up to his uncle with a confused expression. Lucas was over at Haley's house for the afternoon. He didn't want to go out, but Haley came over to his house, threw away the scotch, and dragged him back over to her house.

Lucas looked down to the seven year old boy and gave him a genuine smile that you'd only see him wearing around Jamie. "Yeah?"

Jamie's face changed with a worried expression and he wasn't sure if he should ask his next question. "Are you going to die?"

The smile faded from Lucas and it pretty much gave Jamie his answer. Lucas looked up to Haley, who was in the kitchen at the time and listening to every word of it. She offered the same expression as he did. Lucas sat down on the couch, lifting Jamie up and placing him on his knee like he always did when telling a story or a memory.

"Jamie…" He sighed. "Right now I'm really sick and the doctors are doing everything they can to help me."

"What's wrong with you?"

"It's my heart." He says placing a hand over his chest. "It's…broken." He said, finding the right word to describe it.

"Your heart's not broken Uncle Lucas."

"I'm afraid it is Jamie." He nods.

"Well when are the doctors going to fix it?" Jamie asks innocently.

"I don't know buddy." He shakes his head

"If they don't fix it could you die?" The questions kept coming. Jamie didn't see how hard this was for Lucas to answer them. The word _dying_ came out of the little boy's mouth so easily, and it did with Lucas too. He didn't like how Jamie was even thinking of his uncle dying or the fact that he might not see his nephew grow up.

"Jamie…" He looked up to Haley, for some help in this matter, but she too was waiting for his answer. She wanted to know if Lucas has really given up or not. "Jamie, I need you to know that one day I am going to die. Whether it's from this disease or not. But the doctors are doing all they can and it's up to me to stay strong and get through this. But if anytime I go before I'm supposed to, I need you to know that I love you, okay?"

"I love you too Uncle Lucas."

"Good." Jamie hopped down from his lap and ran off like the whole conversation didn't happen. He didn't exactly lie to him. But he wasn't going to tell a seven year old that he's already given up hope for a life. Or that he's already given up on everything. He wouldn't do that to Jamie. But when he looked up at Haley, she knew it was all a lie and the look on her face explained everything she felt towards Lucas right now.

**

Their last conversation didn't go so well. It was probably the first real conversation they had had since she moved out to L.A. He was telling her to forget everything about him and move on.

If she was being honest with herself that was exactly what she wanted. She was waiting for him to die or get better just so she could be happy again. She didn't want her father to die, but he didn't seem like he wanted to live.

She wanted to live _her_ life, with or without her father, and be happy. She wanted to find that right guy and love her job again.

Sometimes it's all a dream though.

She's back for the second time this week. It's usually once a week, but she woke up this morning and somewhere in her mind a voice told her to come. But once she got here she couldn't go in and see him. Not after last time. She was seriously considering taking her father's advice and letting him rot here.

They say he's crazy, but he's really not. At least to her he's not. He gives the best advice at the best of times. He says things that hit the target dead on and she wonders if she'll be as wise as him one day. And he's made mistakes, some worse than others, but somehow he's redeemed himself.

Except now. This is something that Peyton's not sure she can ever understand or ever forgive him for.

She says she loves him and she's not really sure how much anymore. She's says she'll be there until the day he dies, but she's already started counting down. And she feels horrible for it.

But it's his fault.

He took the pills. Not her.

And for the first time she can't find the strength to go see him. He was right. Maybe she doesn't need him in her life. So she doesn't go see him. Instead she plans the rest of her day. She decides she's going to go home and give Brooke a call and then maybe do some housework and cook dinner and maybe go out with her friends and for the first time have some fun. She never expected to run into him.

He wasn't planning on going to his doctor's appointment. He hadn't been to one in a few weeks and he didn't necessarily see the point. But Haley being Haley made him. She drove him all the way to Durham and practically dragged him throughout the hospital to his doctor's office nagging the entire way. He blocked her out about half an hour ago. He didn't care, he loved his best friend, but he didn't care. He quit caring a long time ago.

She rounded the corner, practically running to get away from that certain area of the hospital, when she ran straight into a broad chest. The chair against the wall caught her balance and she looked up to see the brightest blue eyes she'd ever seen.

His blonde hair had grey in it and there were bags under his eyes from lack of sleep. He was beginning to wrinkle; from stress is what she assumed. He couldn't be older than twenty-five, but he looked so old.

The small blonde came out of nowhere. He rounded a corner and there she was running straight into him. He didn't bother to catch her as she feel or mutter an apology. He just stared. His eyes ran up and down her body. To her long legs to her curly hair. She's no older than twenty-five, but her eyes have so much more life in them.

She then noticed a small brunette by his side clutching his hand. She said sorry and waited for Peyton to fully stand before moving on.

"Watch where you're going next time." The blonde threw at her before continuing to make his way down the hall.

"Jerk." He heard her mutter. He would have commented back but Haley kept pulling at his arm. He turned back once to see the woman continue in her own direction. He didn't miss the sway of her hips or the bounce her hair had. The confidence she had in her walk. He noticed it all and it was the first time he really noticed a woman.

_Tick…Tick…Tick…Tick…Tick…_

His heart rate speeded up as he continued to watch the woman go. He felt his heart beating against his chest and he liked it. It didn't hurt though, not when he was staring at her. It wasn't until she disappeared that it stopped.

Haley sat him down in a chair like a child before going to ask a nurse exactly when the doctor could see them. The blonde never escaped his mind.

"You're a jerk, you know that?" Haley asked once she was seated beside him. Lucas looked over and arched his brow with a smug smile on him, challenging her to go on. He already knew everything she was about to tell him. "The way you treat people, Lucas, it's not right."

"Well excuse me." He mumbled under his breath.

Haley glanced over to him in disbelief. "Who are you?" She said louder than intended. Luckily nobody cared for the fighting couple. "You're not the same Lucas Scott I used to know and love."

Lucas shifted his head towards her. "I haven't been that Lucas Scott in a long time." He said sincerely.

"I don't like this one."

"Well get used to him." He says looking away from her and up to the ceiling. "Cause he's here till the day he dies."

"Don't do that." She said avoiding his staring eyes. "Quit offing yourself off like that."

"How do you want me to act Haley? I'm dying." His quiet voice hits her hard and he can see the tears coming to his friend's eyes and now he just feels horrible.

Finally she looks over to him. "_If_ you are dying…how do you want to spend these last days Lucas? Because you have a choice. You can choose to spend them happy and with your family or miserable and alone. But _if _your last days are miserable, is that really how you want your family to remember you as? Is that how you want Jamie to remember you as? You have a choice, Lucas; it's all up to you."

She looks him straight in the eye and places her hand inside of his and tightens her grip with everything she's got. And it hurts. The realization of what he's doing to his family and friends. He doesn't want to be remembered for this, not this man.

A nurse calls his name and he stands to follow her, but Haley won't let go of his hand. He looks down to her and waits for her to let go. She does and her last words just stick to him.

"Let us in buddy."

_Tick…Tick…Tick…_

**

Peyton goes to a small town to find_ real_ artists. Ones that have talent and have a voice and are just…real. She's seen everyone in Durham and they're good, but she needs to find someone else.

And her name is Mia Catolano.

Peyton finds her in a town she's never heard of called Tree Hill. It's small and quiet and it seems like a place of belonging. Like somehow she fits into this town like a puzzle piece. And when she sees that _Welcome to Tree Hill_ sign she can't help but smile.

Her newfound artist is good, really good, and Peyton finds herself wanting to sign her immediately. She hasn't seen talent like this in…longer than she can think. So she jumps. She asks Mia if she's ready to be a star and the eighteen year old girl couldn't be happier. They exchange numbers and Peyton promises to get in touch as soon as she gets back to Durham.

She didn't expect this trip to go by so fast. She planned three, four days tops, not one. So she has the weekend to herself in this strange town she's never been to, and she feels alright with that. There's something about this town that has this mystical hold over her and with every person she passes by and every building she sees she can't stop herself from smiling.

She's walking down a random neighborhood when she stops at a certain house. It's all brick with white shutters and it's exactly a place she imagined growing up in or raising her own children in. She can't help but laugh when she sees a teenage girl in the second story window dancing around to some pop song on the radio. The fact that the girl is so carefree and is so unaware of Peyton watching is hilarious to her.

"A little stalker-ish, don't you think?" A somewhat familiar voice pulls her from her trance.

She looks over to see the blonde she had seen in the hospital a few days ago staring back at her. He seems different now. He's wearing a knowing smile that she has to love and hate at the same time and his eyes seem brighter in some way.

But their last encounter is still stuck in her mind. He was still a jerk to a complete stranger and she's entitled to scoff at him and walk the other way.

"Wait!" He calls after her. He's not sure why he's chasing after. He was just out for a walk, something he's been doing a lot of these last few days, when he saw her laughing at the girl he used to laugh at to. He remembers her (how could he forget) and something attracted him towards her.

She stops before he runs into her. "I'm sorry." He says immediately. She kinks her brow waiting for more. "I'm sorry for being a jerk…and I'm sorry for calling you a stalker."

"Okay." She turns back around and continues on her way.

"Okay?" He catches up to her and tries to keep her fast pace, which isn't exactly good for him. "That's all you have to say is okay?"

"Umm…thank you. Are you happy now?"

He can feel his heart pounding against his chest and he needs to slow down soon or else it's going to get worst, but he feels she's worth it.

"Look can we stop?" He throws his arm in front of her, keeping her from moving anywhere. "Look I…do you want to grab a cup of coffee?" He asks out of impulse.

"Why?"

He shrugs. "Something to do. I mean…unless you're busy."

She wants to say no, but her heart says yes. There's just something about him that she can't explain that attracts her to him in some odd way. He's angry as hell one minute and the next a decent guy. There's a mystery behind him and she's sure she wants to know.

"Sure."

"I'm Lucas." He says once they make their way down the street.

"Peyton." She smiles.

So he takes her for coffee at a little place along the pier. He says it's the greatest stuff she'll ever have and she doesn't believe him until she tries it for herself. He says I told you so and she never really did doubt him in the first place.

They find themselves sitting and talking for hours. He tells her about Haley and his brother and little Jamie and how cute that little kid is. He doesn't divulge into personal details about himself and he's kind of thankful she doesn't ask.

"Wait…" She stops him mid-sentence when he was talking about writing a second book. "You're Lucas Scott. As in _An Unkindness of Ravens_, Lucas Scott." She can't believe she's sitting here talking to a best-selling author.

"Yeah."

She lets out a breath of disbelief and he finds it incredibly sexy. "I've read your book like…a hundred times." Really it's probably more. His words brought her out of some dark days, though she wouldn't ever tell him that.

"Thanks." He leans forward in his chair and he catches a whiff of that coconut smell her hair she has. "So…tell me about Peyton."

She tells him about her time in L.A. and her moving back (the reason why was left unknown to him) and about her friend Brooke and he can't believe she's friends with _the_ Brooke Davis. She laughs when he tells her that, she never thought of Brooks as a _the_. Her life summary is short because she can't really find anything else to say unless she says something about her dad. So she stays quiet and he can't help but notice the deep expression she wears.

"What?" He says setting his now empty cup off to the side.

"Nothing." She's quick to say.

"There's something. Tell me."

"I barely know you." She tries to argue.

"So?" He says nonchalantly, leaning back in his chair. "What if we never see each other again? You can sit there and tell me your deepest, darkest secrets and it wouldn't matter, because we'll probably never see each other again."

"Then what's the point in telling you?"

He shrugs. "Because that weight on your shoulder won't feel as heavy and you'll feel just a little better that you got it out in the open. And if in the future we do meet again then at least we won't have to dance around the subject."

"And how do I know I can trust you?" She arched her brow.

He chuckled. "You've sat here for the past few hours and we've talked like long lost friends. I think you can trust me by now."

There was something about this man that gave Peyton comfort. His smile made her smile, his laugh made her laugh, and when he pushed for information she wanted to give it. For some reason she'll never be able to explain, she wanted him to know about her. They'd known each other for less than a day, but they felt like it's been a lifetime.

For a reason, some reason, she wanted to tell him. About her job, about her life, about her father. And she was on the verge of it. The words were on the tip of her tongue. But then they got interrupted.

"Uncle Lucas!" Jamie yelled coming out of nowhere and flying into Lucas' lap. Lucas, not expecting the boy, luckily caught him midair and hugged him back when Jamie did. "What are you doing here?" He asked excitedly.

"Yeah, Uncle Lucas." Nathan piped in walking up behind them and catching sight of the strange blonde sitting across from his bother.

Peyton exchanged smiles with the two newcomers and sat quietly, she herself waiting for Lucas' answer.

Lucas smiled at Peyton and looked back up to Nathan, knowing he'd never hear the end of this. "Nathan this is Peyton. Peyton this is my brother Nathan." Peyton, again, smiled over to Nathan. "Peyton and I here were just having lunch."

Nathan shook his head, keeping a joke to himself. "Well, we'll let you get back to that. Come on Jamie."

"Bye Uncle Lucas." Jamie said hopping off his lap.

"Bye buddy."

Peyton and Lucas watched the father and son leave until they were out of sight. Lucas averted his gaze back to Peyton while she kept hers somewhere else but his. He searched her eyes for something, anything to tell him about _her. _Because that's all he wanted to know. He wanted to know everything about her. Every detail, every sentence she's ever spoke, every song she's ever listened to and every book she's read. He wanted to know everything about this woman.

But searching her eyes he found nothing about any that.

Instead he found pain and misery. Emptiness that was probably once filled with happiness and grace. He wanted to know the old Peyton. He needed to know why she was this Peyton.

"I think I better get going." Peyton announced gathering her things and standing from the table. It was then that Lucas looked down at his watch. They've been at this for hours. Way past lunch and into dinner. But he didn't care.

"Let me walk you back." He stood from the table just as she was ready to leave.

"No that's okay. I can…"

"Please. I'd feel a lot better if I just knew you got back okay."

She smiled at his sensitivity and nodded, nudging her head in the direction of her hotel. He knew exactly where to go, but let her lead the way because that was just the kind of guy he was. Their walk was quiet and neither knew what to say to the other. He didn't bring up the question he was asking before being interrupted and she didn't answer it.

But when they got to her hotel room, they had to find something to fill that silence.

"Thanks again for the coffee…and the lunch." She chuckled at the realization of how long they've been together.

"You're welcome. I really liked spending time with you. Even though we just met."

"Well it was nice meeting you." She said, thinking that would be that, and turned towards her door to unlock it and go inside to where she would never have to think about him again. Though she could never forget about him.

"Peyton." He stopped her. She looked to him, confused, not sure of what he was going to say. "There's this diner right outside of town that has…the best pie. Would you wanna…I don't know…take a ride up there with me tomorrow afternoon?"

"Lucas Scott, are you asking me out on a date?"

"Is that a yes?" He arched his brow.

She nodded softly. "Yes."

**

He picked her up late in the afternoon. His breath hitched in his throat when she stepped out of her room wearing a yellow sundress. Her tan skin glowed and her legs looked endless.

They took his old mustang and he told the story of how it used to be his uncle. He didn't dwell in the past for long though. She insisted since it was her 'job' that she got rights to the radio. He didn't fight her on, didn't have the heart to.

So they sat in silence as Peyton changed the station every thirty seconds looking for the right song. He smirked every time she did it and she could only roll her eyes.

Today, Lucas didn't feel weak at all. In fact, he's felt more alive in these past twenty-four hours than he has for the past year. He thinks it has something to do with the girl beside him.

She can't help but laugh when he picks the booth back in the corner of the small diner. He catches her and just shrugs, not caring if she knows that he wants to be alone with her, because he does, he doesn't want anyone else to see her for some strange protective reason.

They order and he's the one laughing when she gets a double cheeseburger with a separate plate of fires and a strawberry milkshake to top it off…oh and extra pickles. She says she's just hungry and he likes that she's not one those salad types of girls.

They're talking. Like really talking. And they keep talking when their food comes and continue while eating. They get pretty deep for two people who just met the day before. He tells her about his heart condition (leaving out one major detail) and how it kind of destroyed his basketball career. She's telling him about her move from Durham to L.A. and then back to Durham. He thinks he's never met a more interesting person.

He's telling her about his nephew and she kind of drifts off. Not because the conversation's boring (which it's not) but because she can't not think about him. Everything about him intrigues her. His dimpled smile, the scar just above his left brow, the tattoo on the inside of his wrist, and everything he does she needs to know more about why he does it. She's wondering where he's been and how he found this perfect little diner and she wants to see everything he's ever seen because she just wants to know more about him.

It's crazy. She just met the man and she's already thinking of him more than a stranger. She looks back to those blue irises and every doubt she has about him disappears.

"So what about you?" He breaks her trance as he's still picking at his burger and fries.

"What?" She asks not catching any of his conversation.

"Your job?" He clarifies with a smirk, knowing she wasn't paying attention. "What's it like? I mean, it must be cool running your own label."

"Yeah." She shrugs. Truthfully she doesn't really care anymore. Truthfully she's waiting until it all comes crashing down. She's trying her hardest to care again, but is having a hard time doing just that.

"What?" He asks with a knowing smirk.

"Nothing."

"Come on, you can tell me." He urges.

"No I don't think I can."

"So there is something?" He says, knowing he'd just cornered her.

She sighs, running her skinny fingers through those light blonde curls. "It's just…it's not what it used to be." He leans forward, setting his elbows on the table and using them as support. He arches his brow, ready for more of what she has to say and for a split second she forgets everything she has to say when his plaid shirt tightens around his biceps.

She shakes her head, remembering what she was saying. "I just want music to mean to me what it used to." She knows it makes no sense but she's smiling when he nods in understanding. "I mean, I find these great bands that are going to be something one day and I honestly don't care."

"Then why do you do it?"

"Because I don't know." She answers, for the first time realizing why she kept up with this. "I guess it's what's normal. But nothing feels the same anymore." She looks up at him and he has a face that she can't read. It scares her, but comforts her all the same. "I'm sorry. I'm not making any sense."

"No." He shakes his head, removing his elbows from the table. "I know what you mean."

"Oh yeah? How?"

"I mean, I'm twenty-five, a best-selling author, and I can't write a second book."

"Why's that?"

He shrugs. "No inspiration." He says, not telling her the real reason. Honestly, lately, his heart hasn't been in it. He's been so angry and depression hit him hard. He gets as far as a paragraph and hits the delete button. He could turn in a bunch of angry stories about how this world sucks, but he still has some sense to stick by his true writing.

He meets her eyes and she's smirking at him, waiting for his next response, but he doesn't give one.

"Writing is an art. It takes time to make it beautiful." She reaches for his hand and there's comfort in her simple touch that brings a smile to him. He thinks those are the most beautiful and truest words he's ever heard.

The moment passes and they're still smiling. Eventually her hand moves from his, but it doesn't hurt him because she's still talking and that alone makes him feel honored.

She fights him when he stands and brings out his wallet to pay the bill, but he's having none of it. She still pouts, even though she knew he wasn't going to let her pay, and he smiles because she's so damn cute. He's laughing hard at a story she's telling him on their way out and then he hears it.

_Tick…Tick…Tick…_

And then he feels his heart beating against his chest. It hurts. It really fucking hurts. He freezes in his spot and clutches his chest tightly with his hand over his heart. He knows it's not going to fix anything, but he does it anyway.

She stops and turns back to him when his laughing stops. It scares the hell out of her when she sees him in pain.

"Luke?" She walks over to him and for comfort, puts her hand on his shoulder.

It stops. The pain in his heart and massive beating of his heart. It stops as soon as her hand rests upon his shoulder. He straightens his posture and regains his stability.

"You okay?"

"Yeah. Just…just heartburn." He lies and he can't look her in the eye when he does it. She nods and waits for him to take his next step.

He does and it hurts like hell when his foot hits the ground again. And he knows he's not going to be able to drive all the way back.

"You wanna drive?" He asks her because it's his only option. She's surprised and thinks he's kidding, so she laughs. He smirks and pulls out his keys. "I'm serious."

She knows it's for a reason he doesn't want to talk about and she knows (because he told her) that he doesn't let anyone drive his car. He shakes the keys in her face, just teasing her, and she only rolls her eyes and snatches his keys.

His engine roars and they both share a look. He begins to tell her, like any typical male, how to drive his car, but then she's zooming out of the parking lot and he's holding on to his seatbelt. She peels onto the highway, back into the direction of the small town and he gives her the most frightening look.

She just shrugs, like no big deal. "My dad liked fast cars." She simply says, like it explains everything. He bursts out laughing and settles back into his seat feeling more relaxed now than ever.

The whole ride back is quiet with Peyton controlling the radio and trying to keep her eye on the road. He just sits back and enjoys the view from his side of the vehicle.

"What?" She asks once during the ride when she notices him staring.

He wants to tell her she looks beautiful. That her legs look longer in the driver's seat of his car or that her green eyes are shining or that she just looks hot.

"Nothing."

He doesn't say any of those things. He doesn't need to because somewhere in her she knows what he's thinking.

She pulls off at the next exit and it's not much longer until they get back to her hotel. He hates that their day together is almost over and is wondering if he'll ever see this woman again.

They've parked themselves in the hotel parking lot and neither one wants to move. The radio's playing some soft music they've never heard of as they point out cars in the lot and try to guess the people who drive them. He's laughing when she guesses 'bitch' for a sports car and a snobby looking woman comes out and drives off in said car.

"Okay, so which car is your?" Lucas asks.

"Guess." She arches her brow teasingly.

He searches the lot for the car that screams Peyton. Mini-van? No. Pick-up truck? Definitely not. Then he sees it, the perfect car. The red interior clashes with the black paint job. From where he sits he can see the inside is a mess. The top's down and he can only imagine her driving down the street, music blaring and hair in the wind.

"That one." He points over to the car he can't take his eyes off of. "The comet." He looks back to her to see if he's right, even though he's pretty sure he is.

"Good guess. How'd you know?"

He shrugs. "It's you."

She wants to tell him that he doesn't know her. That he's just a stranger that she'll never see again. The old her would have said that. But she can't.

She's not that person anymore.

"I'm leaving in the morning." She says quietly, staring down at her fingers. He hates that she's mentioned it. All day he's spent with her and the idea of her leaving never crossed his mind until now.

"I know." He says just as quietly as her. "But I don't want you to. I like spending time with you Peyton."

"Me too."

"So can I see you again?"

She thinks she needs to say no. She's thinking she needs to be smart and just leave it at coffee and lunch and nothing more. But she doesn't want to. She really wants to see those blue eyes again.

Her smile gives him his answer.

She moves to get out of his car and he moves to get out too. They meet at the front, just inches apart. She takes a pen from her purse and is writing her number on his skin before he even notices it. He looks down and sees her beautiful handwriting. Her number with a little heart at the end. It's perfect.

"Call me." She's still holding his hand. She hates to admit that they're soft and smooth and really hates to think of him running them through her hair. She's up on her toes and before she knows it her lips are on his cheek.

He's wanting more, begging for it, but she's walking away and he's watching her go.

Later that night, he's sitting at his desk with his laptop open to an empty blank page. For months it's stayed closed, with no words to write or will to try. He's staring down at the number on his arm that he couldn't bring himself to wash away. He's thinking about her and her blonde hair, those mysterious green eyes, and those mile-long legs. He's thinking about her smile and her laugh and her in general.

He thinks about that comet.

He looks back to the blank screen and for the first time in months it doesn't stay blank for long.

**

It's noon and the last time he got up from his desk was a few hours ago to go to the bathroom. Before that he can't remember the last time he got up. This new story has taken up all of his energy. He can tell you that he didn't sleep last night and that the keys were calling him. His fingers are moving over each letter gracefully. He's choosing each word with care and he's proud to say that most of it has survived the delete button. The sudden inspiration has him not even thinking about the ending. He's taking it one sentence at a time.

"Luke?" He hears the front door open and instantly recognizes Haley's voice. He doesn't answer her. His mind is too wrapped up to even create a voice.

"Luke?" Her footsteps become louder and out of the corner of his eye he can see her in the doorway. "Hey. I haven't – oh my god! What is that smell?" She shrieks and finally he looks up from his screen. His face is priceless when he meets her eyes and she would laugh if she wasn't so disgusted from the smell. "Luke, you're room sticks. What have you been doing?"

"Writing." He simply answers.

"You're still wearing the same clothes from three days ago." She observes pointing at the shirt he wore when he last Peyton. "It's not your room that sticks. It's you."

"Sorry."

"So you've been writing?" She asks taking a seat on the edge of his bed trying to ignore his smell. Lucas nods and looks back to the black and white screen. "What's the sudden inspiration?"

He's smiling when leaning back in his chair. He catches the sight of the number on his arm, it's not faded, but still clear as day.

"I met a girl."

Haley's eyes go wide and a small gasp leaves her mouth. He's not sure if it's excitement or shock. Lucas hasn't exactly been the most faithful of guys this past year. Haley can't even remember the last time he was in a serious relationship and she's known him his entire life. But ever since he's learned about his heart, it's been all about conquers. And the smile on his face and the tone of his voice tells Haley that this isn't just another conquer – this is more- much more.

"Do I know her? What's her name? What does she look like? Is she nice? When can I meet her?" She doesn't give him time to answer and he's laughing at his friend.

"Haley, calm down." He says standing up from his desk and stripping off his three day old dirty shirt. "Her name's Peyton. She's from Durham. She owns a record label. And she's uh…she's great." He really can't find any other way to describe her. He can think it, but can't explain it. "You've actually seen her before."

"Where?"

"The day at the hospital. When I ran into her."

"You mean the curly haired woman that you were totally rude to?" She questions trying to remember exactly what she looked like.

"Yeah." He says hating her for bringing up how mean he was to Peyton.

"How? Where did you see her again?"

He finds a new shirt in his closet and pulls it over his head. "She was in town looking for a new artist for her label. I ran into her, we grabbed coffee, and then the next day we went out to eat."

"Are you going to see her again?"

"She gave me her number." He says showing off his branded arm proudly. Haley smiles and chuckles at his boyish grin. She knows Luke is happy about this and she's happy he is.

"Does she know?" Haley asks randomly once Luke takes his seat in front of his laptop again. He looks over to her confusedly. "About you heart?" She clarifies.

He sighs, ducking his head down. "No." He says quietly and shamefully.

"Luke, you have to tell her." She says standing from the bed.

"What was I supposed to say Haley? 'Hi, I'm Lucas. I'd really like to go out with you sometime, but I'm most likely to drop dead at any second'." He imitates. "That's not really something you bring up on the first date."

"Lucas, if you really like this girl, then she deserves to know. Maybe not now, but soon."

"I know and I'm going to tell her, just not…when the right time comes around I'll tell her." He meets Haley's eyes and she's giving him that look that she gives him when she doesn't believe him and he hates that look. "I promise." He says seriously.

"Okay." She says walking around his desk and wrapping her arms around him. "I'm happy for you Lucas."

"Thanks Hales."

She sees that computer screen and all the words he's written and notices the heavy bags under his eyes and yet he doesn't seem a bit tired. She's only seen him like this once and it was back in high school when writing his first book. When he put heart and soul into his writing and she's happy he's getting back to the old Lucas.

"So what's your new story about?" She asks trying to catch a glimpse of his new work, but Lucas catches her and shuts it before she can see anything.

He chuckles at her pout and simply answers; "A comet."

**

He still doesn't want her here. He sits there and stares at her and wonders how she got this far without both of her parents. Things took a toll on her when her mother died. His little girl, who loved princesses and fairytales, fell into this angry version of herself. He never saw that little girl again. Her bedroom turned red, her clothes were dark, and her music was everything he didn't want for her.

He hasn't been the same either. Just looking at his daughter and seeing his wife staring back at him was too hard for him. He's never resented his daughter, never hated her, but as she grew up and became more and more like her mother, it became too much for him. So he began working more. Taking jobs he didn't want.

He told himself it was_ for_ Peyton, not _because _of Peyton.

When he retired and Peyton graduated and moved to L.A. he realized exactly how lonely he was. His daughter was gone, his wife was gone, and his old self was far gone. He didn't think much of life and along the way he ended up here.

She's still coming and he loves her for it, but it's not what he wants for her. All her life she's wondered when daddy's coming home. He doesn't want that anymore. He knows she loves him and is going to keep coming back no matter what, but there's nothing left for her to see here.

Her hands are what are keeping her focus. She's nervous and ready to leave, but not sure if she should. He doesn't take his eyes off her. She's become this beautiful and successful person without him. She doesn't need him. She's never needed him. He's a destroyer and she needs to get out now.

"Well I'm gonna go dad." Peyton says quietly standing from the table. He nods, the only acknowledgement she's gotten from him this visit. She leans down and kisses his forehead like she always does and then she was gone.

She's barely out the door before a wave of tears comes rushing at her.

It hurts. Her mind, body and soul – it all hurts. And it sucks because she can't seem to get away from it all. She knows he doesn't want her there and she knows it's probably a big waste of her time, but she's _hoping_ that it's not.

"Peyton?" His voice comes out of nowhere. She's happy that he's here because that voice seemed to calm her.

His blue eyes are staring at her fallen tears and he's just standing there awkwardly in his blue tee shirt and dark jeans. He's concerned and she feels like an idiot for crying in front of him, but she hugs him anyway because he was there.

"What's wrong? What are you doing here?" He went into panic mode, thinking there was something wrong with this girl that couldn't escape his mind. His arms placed securely on her arms, trying to find some answer in her eyes. But there's nothing there.

She wiped her tears away and had to smile. "Hi." She says quietly.

He slightly chuckles. "Hi." His eyebrows scrunch together. She doesn't want to talk about it. He understands that because he's begging she doesn't ask why he's here…again. "You okay?"

"Yeah. Thanks."

"I didn't do anything." He shrugs reaching for her hand, just on instinct.

"What are you doing here?" She asks that dreaded question and his mind has to search for anything but the truth.

"Check-up." He lies and she knows it. He didn't answer fast enough for such a simple answer. And if it was a check-up he'd be in Tree Hill, not Durham. She knows he's lying, but it's really none of her business. He sees she wants to question it, and he wants to question her reason to.

"You want to go somewhere?" Peyton asks, seeing his nervousness. "There's this bar a few blocks from here. If you want to check it out."

"Sure."

So they walk the few blocks to this bar and along the way they admire the beautiful day that's been thrust upon them in the October weather. Peyton points out certain spots and restaurants that she loves. She tells him about her and Brooke's adventures around town and the time when she was a little kid and the tree she fell out of and broke her arm and Lucas laughs. Of course she did.

After the day she's had, she really needs a drink…or a few.

Today, Lucas found out their might be a heart in line for him. He was happy, ecstatic, but God loves to rip that rug out from under him. In the split second that smile graced his lips it faded. The boy with his heart is on life-support and the parents are refusing to pull the plug. He needs a drink…maybe a few.

"So I was beginning to think you forgot about me." Peyton says after she orders her beer, which he finds incredibly sexy that she doesn't order some fruity drink.

He chuckles and bows his head. "Sorry. I found some inspiration for another book and it's kind of taken up all my time." He says thinking about this past week when he's barely left his home or eaten a single thing. Sleeping hasn't been a factor for him; he's had more energy now than the past year and a half.

"Wow." She says not expecting that. "That's great."

"Yeah." He says quietly. It's probably the best of his writing and he feels kind of nervous talking about it because he's afraid it really might not be.

They continue to drink and drink some more. They're sitting in a small booth away from the late night drunks. One minute he's sitting across her, staring her down, and the next he's right beside her rubbing circles on the small of her back. She doesn't care. She likes him there. He's getting drunk and so is she. His droopy eyes can't break away from her. She's blushing and not a lot of men can make her do that. She can feel his eyes bore into her skin and it's making her nervous for some reason. He can see the rosy red cheeks and he loves that he can do this to a woman.

"Peyton?" He says quietly.

"Hmm?"

He doesn't say anything after. She glances over at him, thinking it's just his drunken stupor rambling, and the next thing she knows he's kissing her. His breath is full of the beer and the nuts he's been eating, but she loved it anyway. And he was right, his fingers through her hair is the greatest thing he's ever felt.

They don't care that they're in a run-down bar late at night. He doesn't care that he probably just heard the worst news of his life. And she's not fazed by the fact that her father isn't the man she remembers. All that matters right now is the person they're kissing.

"This is crazy." Peyton says breaking away, but still having one hand in his hair and the other around his neck. The smile she has turns serious and she thinks she's sobered up a bit. The thoughts are running through her head and she knows what he wants and it would be crazy to say she didn't want it too. "I don't want to rush this Lucas." She says not because she wants to (because she really doesn't want to), but because it's too soon. They've been on one date.

"Okay." He nods. He's sobered up some too, but he really wants to kiss her again. He understands that this is rushed and he doesn't want to rush her. But all he wants to do is kiss her again.

"You sure?"

"Yeah. Whatever you want Peyton" He assures her.

She nods. "Okay."

**

"Oh! My! God!"

This is followed by a sequence of squeals. Peyton had to set the phone down so her eardrum wouldn't burst open. To say Brooke Davis was happy would be an understatement.

"Peyton Sawyer met a man. Who would have thought?"

"What's that supposed to mean?"

Brooke scoffed at the obvious. "Well it's just Peyton…come on. When was the last time you've been a real relationship? Or on a date for that matter." Peyton couldn't remember. There was that Jake guy from high school, but you really couldn't count him. He ran off with his kid. Oh god, it's been since high school.

"I get your point." Peyton laughs.

"So what's he like? Is he my style? You know…filthy rich with a hot body and model boy face. Or your style…brooding rocker?"

"Neither."

"Then what?" She begged for more.

"His name's Lucas and he's a writer."

"Boring." Brooke yawned jokingly.

"Shut up! He's sweet."

"So have you guys like…done the dirty yet?" Brooke asks in a seductive tone, one that got her all the guys in high school with.

"Brooke!" Peyton yelped. Her friend hasn't changed one bit. "No. All we've done has kissed. Nothing more."

"Sure. We all no Peyton Sawyer can get down with the rest of em'."

"Seriously, why are we still friends?" She laughed.

"Because then I wouldn't have anybody to come to the premiere of my new line in a few weeks. And I'd really loved it if my best friend would come."

"Of course. I wouldn't miss it."

"Great! And bring boy toy with you. I need to inspect him. See if he's up to Brooke Davis standards."

The line went dead and Peyton was left laughing to herself. Her friend might have been a little on the crazy side but she meant well. And knew if any guy wasn't good for Peyton, Brooke would tell her. Brooke had her back.

But Peyton thinks this guy is just right for her.

**

_Tick…Tick…Tick…_

"Damnit." He curses. He thought it went away, but here it is. That annoying noise in the back of his mind that he can't seem to escape. It's up the tone since he found out about the heart. It's loud and right in his ear. It's the reminder that he's not invincible, that his time is almost gone.

It's him remembering that Peyton doesn't know a thing. She's suspected and that's truly as far as he wants her to get. He doesn't like keeping her in the dark. Especially about this. But he doesn't think he's ready for things to change between them. The tone of her voice and the look she gives is just right for him. If he tells her all there will be is…pity.

And that's the last thing he wants.

But he can't run from this. This is one thing he's never been able to. Because that ticking is the hand pulling him back into reality. The reality that his time is coming and it might be sooner than he suspected.

_Tick…Tick…Tick…_

"Fuck!" He yells throwing a glass of scotch in his hand across the room. He watches as it flies and shatters into pieces on his painted blue walls. He doesn't care. The noise in the middle of the silence is too much for him.

"What the hell Lucas?" His brother asks walking into his room. Nathan glances at the wall and back to his brother's flustered face. "You okay?"

Lucas shakes his head, trying to rid the anger that's come over him. "Yeah. Just a little outburst. Sorry. What are you doing here?"

"I was just wondering if you wanted to watch the game together. But it looks like you had other plans." He says motioning to the newly opened bottle of scotch. It's really the first bottle he's bought since he met Peyton. He never really found a reason to drink around her.

Lucas opens his mouth to respond, but is interrupted by the ringing of his phone. It's his editor. He hasn't talked to her since his last book was published…three years ago. Why are they calling?

He answers his phone while Nathan leaves to go get something to clean up the mess Lucas made and when he comes back he finds a shocked Lucas staring down at his phone.

"Luke?" Nathan grabs his attention slowly waking into the room. He hasn't been gone for more than five minutes and already his brother has found more things to get angry about.

"That was my editor." He says still staring down at his phone. "They want to publish my book."

"That's great Luke." Nathan smiles. "I didn't know you started writing again."

"That's the thing. Nobody did. Except…Haley." Lucas says knowing this had his best friend's name written all over it. "She must have sent my manuscript. They're publishing my book." He smiles widely. He can't believe it. Even though he was already a published author, he still got chills when they told him his book was going to be in bookstores everywhere. It was like being on top of the world.

"So I guess you found a little faith then, huh?" Nathan says still staring at his happy brother.

"Yeah." Lucas nods, thinking of the curly blonde that's been tracing his every thought since he's met her, the main reason for this book. The ticking's stopped. "I did."

**

It's all coming back.

That seventeen version of herself has taken over her. She finds herself smiling at the most random times and is really laughing again. She hasn't felt this alive since she was a teenager.

It seems that every time she turns on a radio the perfect song is on. She turns the sad ones into love songs and dances to the happy ones.

Her dream is no longer her career. It's her dream. And maybe one day, in the far off future, she can save the world through music like she'd always wanted to.

Her dramatic emotional change hasn't gone unnoticed by her friends. Brooke can literally hear her smile on the phone and they both know who the cause of it is.

Mia's officially moved to Durham to focus on her album. Peyton's put all of her energy into that (okay maybe not all her energy). But when Lucas shows up at the studio to pick her up for lunch he sees the curly blonde smiling and watching as Mia sings her heart out to a song they're both sure is going to be a hit.

That smile is contagious and soon Lucas is wearing the exact same one. He walks over to her and wraps his arms around her waist, causing her to jump a little, but ease into his embrace. She looks up and smiles just as Mia finish her song. He places a small kiss on her temple.

"You ready to go?" He asks taking her hand. She nods grabbing her purse and throwing a wave to Mia before walking out of the studio and outside with Lucas still holding her hand.

Her old life is coming back.

And it's all thanks to a certain blonde.

**

That bar ends up becoming 'their spot'. He drives that two and a half hour drive just so he can see her and a few times she does the same for him. They don't get past making out, but come extremely close. He's not rushing – she's not asking. But when they go to that bar to tip back a few and he can't drive home, she's the offering the other side of her bed. He'd be an idiot to turn it down.

It's not awkward or passionate. It's just Lucas and Peyton.

He'll wrap his arms around her torso and pull her closer when he knows she's asleep. They'll wake up with their limbs in a tangled mess. She'll blush and he'll kiss her forehead and tell her good morning.

For the most part, he practically lives at her place. He's happy he doesn't have to 'forget' something so he has a reason to come back. And Peyton doesn't mind doing his laundry, in fact, she kind of enjoys it.

If he could, Lucas would spend all his time with Peyton in Durham. If she asked, Lucas would be packing boxes and never looking back on Tree Hill. But she doesn't ask because she knows he has Haley and Nathan and Jamie to remember and she can't tear him away from all that. They're probably moving too fast and neither of them cares. They haven't said 'I love you' or slept together yet, but all that is there, and neither of them actually have to say it so the other one knows.

Eventually though, he does go back to Tree Hill and she does go back to work. But he does come almost every day and they'll find themselves in that small booth in that run-down bar.

"Okay, I make this next shot and you have to buy the next round." Lucas says aiming his pool stick in the direction of his intended target.

"That's not fair! You're like the best pool player I know." Peyton says taking a sip from her beer.

"I know." He kinks his brow and sinks the shot. He sets down his cue and walks around the table to meet her. "Beer, please." He says with his boyish grin holding out his hand.

"I think you've had enough."

"I've had one." He says knowing she's had more than him and just doesn't want to pay.

"So?" She grins.

"Okay. Kiss then?"

"Of course." She leans up to meet his lips. It's quick, like the one she gave him weeks ago on their first 'date', but he loves it all the same. Her hand lands on his cheek and the scruffy feel beneath her fingertips is sensational. "Hmm…I love that." She moans loud enough for only him to hear.

"More." He demands taking her by the waist. His smile is intoxicating and his voice is full of lust. He would never pressure her into something she wasn't ready for, but she looks so fucking hot.

Peyton leans up on the tips of her toes and whispers in his ear. "It's my turn." She swats his chest, laughing as she maneuvers around him, leaving a disappointed Lucas laughing at her silliness.

"You're so mean."

She shrugs picking up the cue and aiming for the ball. "How about I make it up to you?" He kinks his brow at her, wanting to know more. "If I make this shot…" She trails leaning down to set up her shot. "…you come to New York with me next weekend."

"Why?" He asks walking over to the other side of the table to meet her. New York with Peyton? That doesn't too bad.

She sets down the cue to look him in the eye. "Because, lately, you've been working really hard on your book and you need a break and I really want to see my best friend. And Brooke really wants to meet you. And I really want you to meet her. And I really want to go to New York with you." She starts listing off other reasons why and he can't hide the amused smile on his lips.

"Really?" He chuckles, causing her to glare at him. He puts his hands on her shoulders just to shut up her hysterical rant. "Make the shot." He says motioning to the table.

"What?"

"Make the shot and you'll have my answer."

Peyton looked him up and down as if he was crazy. He knew she's horrible at pool and didn't ever plan on actually trying to make the shot. She just wanted him to say yes.

But she did.

And he's going to New York with her.

**

Peyton's falling for him.

He's probably the best boyfriend she's ever had. He holds the door open for her when leaving her apartment and drives her to the airport. He holds her hand when their in flight because he knows she hates to fly and carries her bags to the taxi cab waiting for them. When he meets Brooke she can tell he's overwhelmed at the cheery brunette, but is still polite and every time she spoke, he truly seems interested in what Brooke had to say.

She's never met a guy like him. He finds the tiniest things to be romantic with. She thinks she knows everything about him, but then she'll learn this amazing new fact about him. She knows there's something he's not telling her and really it's been the last of her worries. She just likes being next to him.

She wants to know everything about him, but there are something's that she can't bring herself to ask. Like the scar above his eyebrow or the cross tattoo he has, the secret he's been hiding from her. She wants to know, but won't dare ask. If she asks his secrets then she has to tell her secrets. It's only fair. But she doesn't want to. Her father is her own private business, not even Brooke knows every detail, and no man that she might be falling for is going to drag that out of her.

Except…

"Wow." Lucas exclaims walking through the door trying to keep all of Peyton's bags in line. Peyton, who's been to the apartment many times before, walked in next with Brooke in tow.

"Yeah it's pretty cool." Brooke says gazing over her own apartment. It's huge, the New York penthouse, with what looks like brand new, top of the line furniture and plasma screen TV. She turns back to Luke and Peyton, who are now leaning on each other like a happy couple. "You guys want a tour?"

Lucas looks to Peyton, asking the question without really asking it. Peyton smiles turning back to her friend. "Sure." Peyton's already seen the apartment. She knows every inch of it. It wouldn't be Brooke Davis if she didn't drag her best friend around her apartment for hours showing off all these great things she had. But Luke's never seen them and truly does seem amazed by it all.

So Brooke gives them the tour. She goes into detail of the things she really loves in her place (which is pretty much everything) and Lucas listens asking questions here and there. Peyton slips out a few times, bored out of her mind, and grabs a drink only to have Brooke drag her back in.

There's really nothing in the place that interests Lucas, but he sees the detail Brooke goes into, so he fakes it. And when he looks down at Peyton holding his hand and she smiles up to him and mouthing a 'thank you' it's all the more reason why he's doing it.

Eventually they all get hungry and after they change they then leave for this little restaurant that Brooke says is absolutely the best.

Lucas and Peyton both suggest the booth in the back saying it'd be more private. Really they just have a thing for the booth in the back. Brooke doesn't question it and follows the waitress to the back.

They talk and laugh like old friends and new, they order and eat like it's the best meal they've ever eaten. It all seems so normal. Brooke still has a hard time believing that Peyton has a boyfriend, a hot one at that. She's always been so distant, but seeing her now, laughing and joking with this man that she's sure her friend loves is…well she's speechless.

Brooke always knew that if Peyton ever met a guy that wasn't good enough for her she would tell her. And she has on a few occasions. But looking at the smile Peyton wears that she's never seen before, the one only writer boy across the table can bring; she thinks she doesn't have anything bad to say about him.

They're in the middle of a conversation and they're laughing when Lucas gets a call. He checks the caller id and instantly his smile fades. Peyton's not looking directly at him, but Brooke catches it and she knows it's not anything good.

"Excuse me." He says getting up from the table and walking back to a secluded area.

Peyton doesn't think anything of it, thinking its Haley or one of his friends, and goes back to her conversation with Brooke. Brooke tries to keep her attention on both blondes. The one beside her and the one yelling into his phone.

It's when she sees Lucas grip his heart that she _has_ to know what's going on. She excuses herself from the table saying she needs to go to the restroom. When Peyton asks if she needs her to come with, Brooke declines.

They've tried everything. It's looking like Lucas isn't getting his heart. That damn kid won't die and his parents are being assholes about letting him. His heart is trapped in someone else's body. Though it's really not his heart, but it should be.

The doctors tell him they'll keep looking and that alone sends Lucas over the edge, causing him to punch the wall and scream that they've been trying for over a year and they're still failing.

_Tick…Tick…Tick…_

He grips his heart, for it's in pain. It's on fire and there's no water to put it out. Where's Peyton when he needs her? His face scrunches together and the crinkle in his forehead becomes deeper and deeper as he tries to rid the pain of his insides.

His doctor tells him to calm down and what he doesn't know is that's exactly what Lucas is trying to do and he's failing.

When he does have control again, Lucas starts yelling again. About how these doctors are killing him and maybe he lets a few other private, important things slip out. His hand is still clutching his chest because he thinks that's what's going to stop the pain.

He hangs up the phone with an angry growl leaving his throat and it's not until he hears the raspy voice does his mind come back down to earth. He turns around to see a scared looking Brooke standing just a few feet away looking as if she's afraid to take another step. He doesn't blame her. The broken version of his name calmed him in some way and he knows what she heard.

"Brooke…" He's shaking his head walking towards her with her taking a step back.

"Are you sick Lucas?" She asks her face crumbling. "Like…dying sick?"

He doesn't know how to answer. Yes, he's dying. Yes, he's sick. No, it's none of her business. Yes, she has all the reason in the world to know because she's Peyton's best friend. No, because he can't even tell Peyton.

"Yes." He says quietly so no one else will here, though no one else is around.

The look on his face is shame. She's not really sure why until it pops in her head.

"Peyton doesn't know does she?"

He takes a step forward and this time she doesn't move. He gets in her face, close enough that she can feel his breath against her. "You can't tell her." He says sternly boring down into her hazel eyes.

"If your not, I will." She says as firmly as she can manage.

"No!" He grabs her by the shoulders, needing her attention. "Brooke, I need a new heart to live. I'm living on borrowed time right now, but when I'm with Peyton I feel alive, my insides aren't burning when I'm with her. I need to tell her." His voice cracks and it breaks her heart to hear this broken man's confession. "I promise you, Brooke, I'm going to tell her. But _I_ need to tell her. So please…between you and me."

She can't believe it. She's seen movies and soaps and TV shows with storylines like this, but she's never actually witnessed it. She's never known someone going through this and now here's someone right now standing right in front of her telling her all this. And it's her best friend's boyfriend. He's likely to drop dead at any minute with a broken heart and all she can think about is Peyton's heart breaking.

Peyton's fallen in love with this guy and if he goes it just makes her _people always leave_ statement even more true.

"You promise to tell her?" She asks, keeping her eyes away from his. But out of the corner of her eye she can see his nod. "Soon?" He nods again.

It's not her secret to tell.

"Okay." She looks back to him. His hands drop from her shoulders as a sigh escapes his lips. "Don't mess this up Lucas."

He doesn't get to answer before she walks back to their table to rejoin Peyton. He walks back to and sits down next to his girlfriend placing a kiss on her forehead. When she asks who called he lies and says it was Haley asking if they'd gotten in okay. Out of the corner of his eye he can see Brooke's frown.

For the rest of the night Lucas can feel the tension between him and Brooke. Peyton has no clue. Lucas is avoiding eye contact while Brooke keeps throwing knowing glances his way.

It's probably time to tell Peyton.

But he has to know one thing beforehand.

That night when they get back to Brooke's apartment, Brooke goes straight to bed as do Peyton and Lucas. He's lying in bed with just his boxers on when she comes out in just his tee shirt and snuggles up next to him.

"I'm really glad you and Brooke are getting along." Peyton says flipping over to look over at him.

"I like Brooke. She seems…fun." He smiles thinking it's really the only word there is to describe her.

Peyton just smiles and nods before moving closer to him. Lucas wraps his arm around her, but doesn't dare leave her eyes. Even in the dark room he can still see her green eyes as clear as day.

"Why'd you get this tattoo?" She asks when she's observing his wrist and the cross tattoo branded on it. It's a random question at a random time and he loves that she does that.

He sighs and tries to pull her closer, but she's already right up against his body. "You remember when I told you about my father?" He asks feeling her nod against his chest.

Lucas told her a few weeks ago about how his father shot down his brother, Lucas' uncle, in point blank gun range. It was the hardest thing Lucas ever had to go through. His own father took away the only father figure he ever had in his life.

"After Keith died I sort of…questioned my faith in God. Like…how could someone take away somebody that I love and how could God let that happen." He lifted up his hand to catch a glimpse of the tattoo in the moonlight. "Really, it's a reminder that Keith is always here with me. That…he's just watching over me…that he loves me."

It's silence. Peyton's not sure of what to say and Lucas is letting his very own words sink in. He thinks back to all of his moments with his uncle and all the times he missed out something with him. All the opportunities him and his mom had, but never took. And when they finally got it right…Keith died. He couldn't bare the thought of that kind of pain, and he's experienced pain, but nothing that hard.

"Peyton?" He says moments later when he's not sure if she's sleeping or not. He needs to do this. He needs to know. He can't live his life like his uncle and confess his love at the very last minute. But that's kind of what he's doing.

"Hmm?"

_Tick…Tick…Tick…_

"I love you."

Her green eyes spring open and for a second he thinks he made a mistake. But then he sees the smile on her face and her hand is finding his and she squeezes as tight as she can. That might be the thing she's been waiting for him to say.

"I love you too."

He nods, though she can't see it, and pulls her closer to him. This time closing his eyes ready to fall off in what he's sure is going to be an easy sleep after what he just heard. "Good, that's all I needed to know."

After that, he knows it's time for her to know.

**

The next morning Peyton wakes up to an empty bed and when she searches the penthouse for Lucas all she finds is Brooke. When she asks where Luke is, Brooke says he went out for coffee.

So they each sit at the counter, Brooke flipping through some fashion magazine and Peyton watching. When Brooke looks up to see the smile Peyton's wearing she has to ask what's up.

"Nothing." Peyton shakes her head. "I'm just happy."

That alone should make Brooke happy, but the events of the night before come rushing back to her, and the frown that takes her face doesn't go unnoticed by Peyton.

"What?"

"Nothing." Brooke says turning back to her magazine. Peyton snatches it from her and asks the question again. Brooke sighs. "Does Lucas…does he know…about Larry?"

The smile Peyton wore faded and it's soon a worried expression.

"No." She simply answers.

"Are you planning on telling him?" Brooke kinks her brow, already knowing the answer.

"Brooke." Peyton groans.

"Peyton he deserves to know."

"I'm going to tell him." She tries to defend, but since they were kids, Brooke's always been the one to win.

"No you're not! I know you Peyton Elizabeth Sawyer!" Brooke says with a serious look. Peyton knows Brooke only uses her middle name when she means business and she's afraid to admit that it frightens her. Brooke's ready to open her mouth to continue, but then they both hear the door open and close and they both know its Lucas. A frustrated growl releases from Brooke while a smile forms on Peyton.

Saved by the bell.

Brooke turns back to Peyton with that same expression. "I know that you're going to try and keep this from him." She whispers knowing that they have just a few moments until Lucas barges in. "And he doesn't deserve that. Besides," she shrugs, "there might be a few things he's keeping from you too."

Peyton doesn't think too much into that last statement. Maybe she should.

**

They go back home two days after Peyton and Brooke's conversation. Each of them leave with a Brooke Davis conversation on their minds. What they don't know is that it's about the exact same thing.

Lucas drives her back to her house after they land in Durham. He walks her to her door and kisses her good-bye. He has to get back to Tree Hill, keeping a promise to Jamie. She really doesn't want him to go. She's grown accustomed to his body beside hers when sleeping.

But he makes that promise saying he'll be back in a few days. She loves that about him.

He throws in that 'I love you' as he's walking down the hall and she yells it back as he turns around to smile at her.

A few days later when Lucas is in his room packing his overnight bag for when he goes to Peyton's in the morning, he hears a car door slam followed by his front door slamming. Soon his stuff is forgotten when he sees the teary blonde shaking in front of him. Her tear-stained face, and puffy eyes, and whimpering chin are enough to send Lucas over the edge. His hand finds the back of her head and is pulling her into his chest.

He doesn't know why she's crying and he doesn't care that she just drove two hours in her condition just to see him. All he's worried about is the crying girl that's clutching a handful of his shirt and leaning on him.

When he asks her what's wrong she can't think of anything but the truth.

"I went to see him." He doesn't know what that means and she knows that, but it's all she can manage out.

Peyton didn't plan this. She didn't wake up this morning and plan on going to see her father, she just did. She didn't expect her father to blow up again. Or even hear that her father doesn't want her there and to just leave him to die all from his mouth himself. He wants to die. He says there's nothing left for him. What he doesn't know is that Peyton thinks that he thinks she's nothing. She never planned on coming here and crying in front of him.

He waits until she's calmed down enough and seats her on the couch. He goes to get her some tea to calm her nerves and when he comes back she doesn't hesitate to take it. After a while, her tears are wiped away, her makeup's smeared, and she's still shaking.

"Peyton." Lucas grabs her attention. Her hand finds his and that feeling he gets every time he has contact with her falls in the pit of his stomach. "What's wrong?" He asks when he sees her in a deep thought.

"It's my dad." She says overcoming the lump in her throat. He squeezes her hand tighter, letting her know that it's okay. "He tried to kill himself a year ago." She says staring down at the floor and out of the corner of her eye she can see his expression change. "That's why I came back from L.A. I put him in a hospital and every time I go see him he tells me that he wants nothing to do with me."

He tries to find something. Anything to say. He doesn't want to apologize because there's nothing to apologize for. He wants to tell her that everything's going to be okay, but he doesn't know that and she's in front of him not okay. It's one of the last things he expected she was keeping from him. Her father tried to kill himself.

That's big.

He's imagining it and feels horrible for doing it, but he can't help it. He can imagine a parent not there for their child, because he's lived it, but his mother never turned her back on him even when his father did. If that happened it might be the thing that sends him over the edge.

"I just…" Peyton continues, bringing Lucas out of his trance. She's trailing, trying to find the right way to put it. He sees her wipe her already dry face and notices her awkward position on the couch. It all feels so awkward now and he can't fix it. "I just don't understand why he would do it." She says finally.

"You don't know." Lucas says during the silence. Peyton looks over to him in shock. He looks into her green eyes and her face just crumples with confusion. "You don't know what it's like to be that far down in a hole that it takes everything in you just to get up."

"Lucas…"

"I know." He says quietly she almost doesn't catch it. "I know what that feeling is like. I've had the gun in my mouth. I've had the pills in my hand and I've stood on the edge." He stops to check her expression…it's blank. He remembers that feeling, not too long ago. When he felt like he had no one when he really he had everyone. Nobody knows about this, not his mom, or his brother, or even Haley. People knew he was depressed, but not this far. "Now I'm not saying what your father did was right. All I'm saying is that…I've been there. And that feeling that you have - that_ empty_ feeling - it's a long time before it ever goes away."

She thinks that's the thing he's been hiding from her. That weight on his shoulder that she's tried so hard not to notice. And she knows she has no right to ask, but she does anyway.

"But…why?"

He sighs heavily, turning away from her. "Because a year ago the doctors gave me six months to live." He turns back to her, not really taking in her expression. It feels like he's ripping off a band-aid and getting this over with. "I need a heart transplant and if I don't have one I'm going to die. But when there were no good hearts in sight…I already gave up."

It's silence mostly. His confession is a lot for her, her hand finds the scar above his brow and she gently touches it. It's another one of those random things she does and it's comforting to have her touching him. His eyes never leave hers and it kills him to see the curiosity she has about this condition.

"I fell and hit my head." He simply says. She knows it was because of his heart. He was probably too weak when he got up and his knees gave out. She doesn't ask anymore and he doesn't give anymore.

She starts shaking her head and is ready to get out of here. She now knows exactly what Brooke was trying to tell her. It's too much information for right now, but she needs to hear this. He grabs her hands and is running invisible circles to try and calm her.

"Lately there's been this ticking that's been drilling into my brain, but when I'm with you…there's nothing." He smiles slightly. "There's just you and me. And you've given me every reason to keep breathing."

He pulls her into his chest trying to prove to her that it's okay. He believes that it is. From now on, now that everything's out, he's going to believe that. He just needs her to know that she's the reason he's so happy. She relaxes and slouches her shoulders before leaning into the crook of his neck. Lucas leans back into the couch pulling her closer into him. He knows she's okay. He knows they're okay.

Her hand falls on his heart and she relaxes even more when she can feel it beating in a normal pattern.

"Does it ever hurt?" She asks.

"Sometimes. Not when I'm with you though." He smiles and she can literally feel it.

"Luke?" She looks up and meets his eyes. "You're not gonna die are you?" He just stares at her, not sure of how to answer. He doesn't want to go around making promises he's not sure he can keep. He remembers when Jamie asked him the exact question not to long ago and somehow he found his way around answering. He doesn't want to do that with Peyton. She deserves more than that.

"I don't know." He answers honestly. And for the first time he really, really wants to stay alive. Not just for him, but for Peyton. "But I'm gonna try not to."

**

He's staring at that picture again in Nathan's home. The one of him in high school. Weeks ago it would have made him sick to even sit and stare at it. Now it really just gives him hope that one day that will be him again.

He believes it. He hopes it's true.

He's started planning out the rest of his life again. Whether or not he gets married (to Peyton). If he'll have kids (with Peyton). If he'll travel the world (of course with Peyton). If he'll grow old (who else would he pick to do it with?). It's kind of exciting to do it again. He has it all planned out in his head. They'll get married and travel some before coming back and working. Peyton will move her record label (which she's starting to love again) to Tree Hill and they'll live in that house his mom gave him. Or he'll move to Durham and they'll keep that house as a summer home. He'll start writing more and more. And along the way they'll have kids, two, three kids, maybe four. They'll grow old and watch as their kids do the same. It's his dream.

His heart is his last worry and he thinks its better that way. Less stress, more fun.

With Peyton.

Nathan and Haley invited the two of them over for a barbeque. Lucas was hesitant at first. They've never even met his girlfriend and he doesn't want them telling him he's not good enough for her or the other way around. But Peyton's been dying to meet them and he couldn't say no.

Really he's happy that he agreed. Seeing Peyton interact with Haley and make jokes with Nathan while drinking a beer makes him happy to see that his friends approve. And seeing her interact with Jamie really gets him thinking about the future. She's a natural. It's like she's been apart of this group from the beginning, like she hasn't missed a thing. She fits right in and he loves it because no other girl has ever been able to.

Haley tells him she's amazing and Nathan sends him a thumbs up when they're sipping beers. And his other friends are giving him the approval as well. It's really the greatest feeling in the world to him.

When Jamie runs out and asks if Peyton's going to be his aunt everybody's beer comes spitting out. Lucas and Peyton don't know how to answer. Lucas knows how he wants to answer, but Peyton's shooting him a look telling him not to. He throws his hands up in defense and leaves to get him another beer, leaving Haley to explain to Jamie the situation.

On his way back outside, his eye catches that picture and again he stops to study it. That smiles he wore back then is the exact one he's wearing a lot these days.

He hates to say it, but he feels invincible.

"I bet you were great." Peyton says walking up behind him and wrapping her arms around his shoulders while staring at the picture.

"I was." He nods.

"You will be again soon." She says it so surely.

He looks down at her taking one of her hands in his. "You promise?"

"I promise." He loves how she's so sure. And it doesn't scare him that she's making promises that they both know aren't sure they can keep. But he's starting to believe that it's finally time to start making those kinds of promises.

**

She wants him to meet her father.

It was an act of impulse the way she asked him. It was out of the blue when they were sitting in that booth in that run-down bar. Lucas really didn't understand why though. A few days ago she'd told him that she might be done with seeing her father and let him have his wish.

But he doesn't fight her on it. He'd do anything for her.

Since they each spilled their beans things haven't changed much. They went back to what they were before they even knew. Happy. It concerned him that she was letting her father go. And it worried her that he was liable to drop dead at any minute. But she just figure that if he did die in the next few moments, she wouldn't be devastated, she'd know that it was his time and know that he loved her and she loved him.

She doesn't stop reminding him. How much she loves him. They both say it before falling asleep at night and when he's leaving her apartment for Tree Hill in the morning. He says it when she's changing the radio stations and she reminds him in the middle of his writing.

"I love you." Lucas says staring down at her when they're standing outside that horrible door Peyton's come to hate.

"I love you too." Peyton says before reaching out for that cold, uninviting doorknob.

She sits down beside her father and Lucas takes the seat across from him. The man looks older than what he possibly is and he's worn out in the worst possible way. His wrinkles are deep and blues eyes are exactly how Lucas imagined them…empty.

"Dad this is Lucas." Peyton says still hoping she can get more out of him. "He's my boyfriend." She looks over at Lucas and smiles and takes his hand.

He knows these visits are mostly filled with silence and hoping that Larry will say something. He's willing to wait as long as she wants him to. Lucas really wasn't sure what he expected. He prayed that there wouldn't be an outburst like the ones Peyton has told him about and he was wishing that Larry would say something just to make Peyton happy.

But there was nothing. There was just silence.

"Dad?" Peyton says once during their visit.

Larry looks up into his daughter's green eyes and the smile he sees her wear is unlike any other look he's ever seen her wear. For the first time she doesn't look like her mother…she looks like his daughter. He knows it's because of the boy sitting across from him. And for the first time since he's entered the hospital, he smiles. A real genuine smile. It's almost like approval of Lucas and that's really all Peyton wants.

Peyton smiles too, almost breaking out in tears, like she usually does, but this time for a different reason. She nods for no particular reason, maybe to tell him thank you. And Peyton knows this will probably be the last she'll come to see her father. She hates to say it, but she doesn't need him anymore.

She has Lucas.

She gets up and kisses his forehead for what she's sure is the last time and makes her way to the door. Lucas follows, but the man's horse voice stops him.

"Lucas."

He turns back to see Larry staring up at him.

"Take care of my little girl." Larry says. He loves his daughter and he knows for the past year he's been destroying what's left of her life. He's done now. She has this man that she loves. She's going to be okay.

"I will Mr. Sawyer." Lucas says with a nod. When the older man smiles back at him, Lucas knows he's going to keep his promise even if it kills him.

Two days later her dad dies.

He'd started collecting all the pills they were giving him and took them all at once. They did everything they could, but it was too late when they found him.

Peyton got the call on her way to work. Her car almost swerved off the road when they told her. She managed to make it back home and secluded herself in her room while she cried her eyes out.

She called Lucas with nothing but sobs leaving her mouth and then hung up without explaining the situation.

Her dad died. It all hurt, but at the same time she felt like she was free at last. Free from his outburst and the need to see him. And she felt horrible for feeling that. The guilt that she was actually happy that her father was dead took over her.

A hand wrapped around her and pulled her closer to their body. Peyton knew who it was and the realization that she's been her room crying for the past two hours came. She knew he sped all the way and knew it probably wasn't good for his heart. But neither cared. She needed him and he wouldn't deny her of that.

"He's gone Luke." Peyton says through her sobs while her face is smashed against her pillow. Lucas doesn't say anything, he doesn't have to. She just needs him there beside her, holding her, whispering in her ear that she's okay. That's really all she needs and he's glad to provide it.

Finally she leans up on her elbow and starts off in panic mode. "I, I need to start planning the funeral. I need to call people. I need a coffin and flowers and I need to call people." And then the realization that there's no one to call hits her. She was his only family. It's been the two of them since she can remember and she's just now figuring this out. There's no one. "I don't know who to call. It was just us two, Luke." She says looking over at him. The bags under his eyes are heavy and she knows she woke him from his sleep. "There's no one to call."

He silently soothes her, rubbing his hand up and down her thigh. He gently forces her to lie back down and to relax, but he can still feel the tenseness in her shoulders.

"You called me." He tells her.

He's all she needs. And with that she knows she can get through this.

**

A week later they're lying in her bed late at night after Larry's funeral. It was just the two of them and Brooke that attended. It was small, but full of love. Even though Lucas didn't know her father very well, he still gave an eulogy and it broke Peyton's heart with the words he spoke of her father.

She hasn't fully come to terms with his death. It might take awhile; it was her father after all, even in those last years when he didn't act like it.

They're both asleep when his phone starts ringing. Lucas sits up and rubs the sleep from his eyes as Peyton turns trying to escape the noise.

_Tick…Tick…Tick…_

"Hello?" His raspy voice says into the phone. It's dark in the room and the only light is the _12:23 AM_ from her alarm clock.

He listens to the man on the other end and a smile graces his lips and he looks down at a sleeping Peyton. His hand runs along her thigh trying not to wake her, but all he wants to do is jump up and down with joy.

It's probably the worst of times to get this news. Or maybe it's the best.

"I'll be there first thing in the morning…no, thank you." He says before hanging up the phone and staring off into space with that same smile.

Peyton stirs and looks up to see a still Lucas. Her puffy face is still red from all the tears she's cried today and she wonders why he's smiling. "Luke?" Her groggy voice is full of confusion, but that smile never leaves his lips. "Luke, what's going on?" She asks leaning up on her elbows.

"Nothing." He shakes his head, looking over at her. He literally feels the ticking in his mind stop. He can see that clock strapped to his heart fall to pieces. And it's a real smile gracing his lips.

"It's just the beginning." She doesn't know what that means or what the hell he's talking about, but she's never seen him this happy. The tone of his voice is different and his smile is wider. He kisses her like it's their first and he doesn't stop until she's giggling into his lips. She doesn't care what it is. She'll find out later. She wants to be with him.

His hand runs up her body and to her cheek. She's perfect in every way. Her hand rests on his chest, on his heart. It's beating rapidly and they should probably slow down, but it doesn't matter anymore.

He's getting a new heart.


End file.
